University System of New Hampshire

07. Travel

Issue Date   Revised Date  
02/01/1998 001 03/11/2022 Introduction to Travel
  002 05/11/2021 Website for Travel References
07/01/2019 004 05/11/2021 Travel Expense Reimbursement
02/01/1998 005 03/11/2022 Air Travel, Domestic and Foreign
02/01/1998 006 05/11/2021 Lodging
01/01/1998 007 05/11/2021 Travel Meals
02/01/1998 009 05/11/2021 Personal Automobile Expenses
02/01/1998 010 05/11/2021 Vehicle Rental Expenses
02/01/1998 013 05/11/2021 Misc. Reimbursable Travel Expenses
07/01/2019 013B 08/05/2019 Travel Policy Cheat Sheet
02/01/1998 014 03/11/2022 Non-Reimbursable Travel Expenses
02/01/1998 015 07/01/2019 Non-Employee Travel
 

Travel Forms

 
12/01/1999 117 05/11/2021 Travel Pre-Approval/Advance
12/01/1999 119 05/11/2021 Travel Reimbursement
12/01/1999 121 05/11/2021 Travel Forms

 


The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version. 

07 - 001 Introduction to Travel

A.   SUMMARY

USNH appreciates the efforts of those who travel on USNH business. An individual should not experience a financial gain or loss because of USNH business travel. USNH policy is to reimburse reasonable and necessary travel expenses incurred for authorized USNH business travel. Consistent application of this policy will:

  • Ensure compliance with federal regulations and sponsor requirements, 
  • Ensure USNH meets all requirements for an Accountable Plan as defined by Internal Revenue Service Regulations (Reg. Sec. 1.62-2)
  • Enable USNH to better manage its limited resources, 
  • Ensure that reimbursement is fair and equitable to both the traveler and USNH, and 
  • Ensure clear and consistent understanding of the rules by which travel reimbursement will be provided, thereby providing the best service to travelers. 

USNH has chosen open competition as the method of obtaining the lowest applicable airfare and hotel rates. Travelers should make their own travel arrangements and book directly to a Purchasing Card assigned to either an individual employee or a unit. Travelers who do not have access to a P-Card may charge airline fares and other travel expenses to a personal credit card and seek reimbursement. Reimbursement will not be made until after travel is completed.

B.   DEFINITION OF USNH BUSINESS TRAVEL

Leaving from your residence or regular USNH work location, to a destination other than your regular USNH work location, to conduct USNH business is considered USNH business travel. Returning to your residence or regular work location from a destination other than your regular work location is also considered USNH business travel.

USNH business travel may be overnight, requiring the traveler to spend a night away from home, or it may be a day trip where the traveler returns home the same day.

USNH Business travel excludes commuting travel. Please refer to section C of Procedure 07-009 Personal Automobile Expenses for more information on commuting expenses.

C.   APPLICABILITY

This policy applies to employees and non-employees who travel on authorized USNH business, regardless of funding source. These individuals are collectively referred to as “travelers” in these procedures. Note that if travel is being charged to a Sponsored Program with terms that are more restrictive than those of USNH, the terms of the grant or contract apply. If the terms imposed by Sponsored programs are more lenient than those of USNH, USNH policy applies. Similarly, campuses or departments may elect to impose stricter controls over travel expenditures than those required by this policy. Non-employees working with USNH under agreements that have specific travel terms should follow the terms laid out in their agreements. All other non-employees traveling on approved USNH business must fully adhere to all USNH policies included in this section as described in Procedure 07-015 Non-Employee Travel.

D.   ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITY

This policy is based on the honesty and integrity of the traveler. Travelers are expected to exercise good judgment when incurring travel costs, regardless of funding source. Business travel expenses will be paid by USNH if they are reasonable, properly authorized, appropriately documented with a distinct, compelling business purpose descriptive enough to clearly demonstrate a benefit to USNH, and within the guidelines of this policy. Costs should not be lavish or extravagant but should be prudent, exercising the fiduciary responsibility entrusted in all USNH employees by the state, students, governmental and non-government sponsors, donors, and others who provide resources to USNH. All monies reimbursed will be for the lowest reasonable cost of travel given the circumstances and substantiated with receipts (see Procedure 07-004 Travel Expense Reimbursment, section B). No portion of costs associated with personal travel will be paid by USNH. Travelers are responsible for familiarizing themselves and complying with this policy. The USNH Financial Services Office is responsible for oversight of travel policies, procedures, and travel expenditures. The Support Team for the Administration of Research (STAR) or campus research office until transition to STAR has been completed determines which travel expenditures are reimbursable under a Sponsored program.

1.   Travelers

a.   Individuals traveling and employees who make travel arrangements or prepare reimbursement requests on a traveler’s behalf are responsible for complying with this policy and related procedures.

b.   All travel reimbursement requests must be submitted within a reasonable time as defined in section C of Procedure 07-004 Travel Expense Reimbursement. Travelers are responsible for correctly completing forms, including providing a clear statement of business purpose and submitting all appropriate supporting documentation to the USNH Financial Operations Center (FOC) as described in Procedure 07-004 Travel Expense Reimbursement. By submitting a travel reimbursement request, the traveler indicates that they were traveling on USNH business, the request does not include any personal expenses, and the amount has not and will not be reimbursed to the traveler from any other source(s).

c.   The traveler is responsible for the cancellation of any reservations (hotel, airfare, ground transportation, etc.) if a trip is canceled. USNH is not responsible for any charges or penalties resulting from the traveler's failure to give proper notice of cancellation. Travelers should request and record the cancellation number in case of a billing dispute.

d.   USNH will pay for costs resulting from cancellations including change fees due to circumstances beyond the control of the traveler such as cancellation at the request of a supervisor, conference or meeting cancellation, or personal circumstances (i.e., traveler’s hospitalization, or loss of a loved one).

e.   Travelers are encouraged to use their memberships in AAA, AARP, or other groups to obtain discounts which exceed those otherwise available.

2.   Approvals

a.   After downloading and completing the USNH Personal Reimbursement Form, a traveler must have the request approved by a direct supervisor or only in in their absence, a designee that is senior to the direct supervisor in the organizational structure. Approval by a direct supervisor or designee that is senior to the direct supervisor in the organizational structure is required regardless of the funding source denoted on the personal reimbursement form (for sponsored programs approval authority see paragraph below). By signing the travel reimbursement form, the Travel Approver attests that the purpose of the expense is valid and directly related to USNH business, the cost is appropriate and reasonable, and the date the traveler signed the form is reasonable compared to when the form is presented for approval. The date the employee signed will determine whether the form was timely submitted as described in Procedure 07-004 Travel Expense Reimbursement.

The authority for determining which travel expenditures are reimbursable under a particular grant or contract lies with the Office of Sponsored Programs Administration. For the purposes of this policy, Sponsored Programs Administration has the authority to approve externally funded travel on behalf of the Principal Investigators. 

b.   After obtaining approval from their supervisor, employees should send the completed and approved form to the FOC. A Travel and Expense Assistant will review the form for the following:

i.    An adequate description of the business purpose was documented
ii.   There are no missing entries for required fields
iii.  Approvals have been applied as appropriate
iv.  If traveling abroad on federal grants, the travel was pre-approved by STAR or research office until transition to STAR has been completed
v.   Mileage and per diem amounts requested are accurate and in compliance with mileage and per diem policies
vi.  If the ‘less than per diem’ option was chosen, meals claimed each day were below the daily per diem to which the traveler was entitled for that location
vii. Each claimed expense, other than per diem and mileage, has a receipt that meets the requirements in section B of Procedure 07-004 Travel Expense Reimbursement. The Travel Expense approver will inspect scanned receipts before approving any requests for reimbursement. When a receipt is not available, a full explanation of the expense and the reason for the missing receipt must be provided. A Lost Receipt Form must be completed, and the form should be approved by the department head or supervisor of the traveler.

c.   A traveler may not approve her/his own travel reimbursement request form, and an employee may not approve expenses for an individual to whom they report or who is at a higher level within the organizational structure. Additionally, in general, the supervisor should approve the reimbursement request and this responsibility should not be delegated unless there is an urgent need and the supervisor is absent or, the travel is under a grant as described in 2. A. above.

For travel approval related to non-employees, please refer to USNH Policy 07-015.

3.   Authority to approve exceptions

Exceptions to this USNH Travel Policy require campus CFO or designee approval, except when the exception to this policy is due to disability or medical condition(s) in which case the Campus ADA Compliance Officer or equivalent must approve the exception.

The criteria below should be considered before an exception is granted.

a) Exceptions must meet a valid business need, not simply a traveler preference, and should be requested prior to incurring the expense.
b) Documentation for any exceptions must be submitted to the USNH FOC with the Travel Reimbursement Request Form, and
c) In certain circumstances an exception may result in reportable income for the recipient. In such cases the USNH FOC will withhold any required taxes from the payments to the traveler.

E.   TAXABILITY OF TRAVEL REIMBURSMENT UNDER IRS ACCOUNTABLE PLAN RULES

According to IRS guidance known as the “Accountable Plan Rules,” travelers are required to substantiate (with receipts), all expenses within a reasonable amount of time.

Under the “Accountable Plan”, an expense must meet the following rules to allow an employer to exclude the reimbursement from an employee’s income:

1. The traveler’s expenses must have a business connection, meaning the traveler must have paid or incurred deductible business expenses while performing services as an employee of the employer.
2. The traveler must adequately account to the employer for these expenses within a reasonable period of time.
3. The traveler must return any excess reimbursement or allowance within a reasonable period of time.


The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version.

07 - 002 Website for Travel References

07 - 004 Travel Expense Reimbursement

Please review Policy 07-001 Introduction to Travel for an overview of USNH travel policies. The procedures below provide more specific requirements related to Travel Reimbursement.

A.   TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT REQUEST FORM

A Traveler should submit a Travel Reimbursement Request Form within 45 days of completing a business trip. A business trip starts when a traveler on USNH business leaves their normal place of employment or their home for another destination and ends when the traveler is back at home or normal place of employment. Note that reimbursement is not guaranteed if a request is submitted after 60 days of completing a business trip. Such late requests require approval from the campus CFO or designee. The Travel Reimbursement Request Form must:

1.   Detail all travel to/from the location, meals, lodging, meeting(s)/conference(s) attended, etc., and must include all requested reimbursement for the entirety of the trip. If other USNH travelers were included or paid for, e.g., shared a ride, the name of the other traveler(s) should be noted on the form.

2.   Clearly indicate the business purpose of the travel. A business purpose must be descriptive enough to clearly answer any questions regarding who traveled, the necessity of their travel, and the benefit to USNH. Below are some examples of appropriate business purposes:

Do not use Instead, use
Attended conference Attended American Bottle Cappers conference in Boulder, Colorado from April 1-7, 2018 to present a paper on the loss of carbonation from loose caps.
Research Traveled to South America to research rural irrigation systems to provide data for journal publication titled “Improving Rural Irrigation Systems.”
Research Presented a research paper at the International Pragmatics Association conference.
Meet with Colleagues Meeting with Business faculty (8 in attendance) to discuss marketing student project.
Meet with Colleagues Met with John Smith, Associate Professor of accounting and Jane Turner, Department Head of Accounting, to finalize Accounting Department budget proposal.
Meet donor Donor meeting in Dallas, TX to discuss potential gifts for undergraduate scholarships.

Including the itinerary for the trip and the agenda of meeting(s)/conference(s) attended is recommended to substantiate the business purpose and the various expenses included as part of the registration fee.

3.   Include receipts for all expenses claimed except those related to daily per-diem or mileage reimbursement (see Section B below for exceptions to receipt requirements). Any differences between the receipt and reimbursement report amounts must be explained. Scanned copies of receipts may be submitted to the FOC along with the approved reimbursement request. The traveler must keep original receipts until after the travel request form is processed and paid. The paper receipt may be destroyed once the traveler receives payment.

4.   Include rates used in converting foreign currency to U.S. funds at the time of the transaction.

5.   Use meal per diem and mileage rates in effect at the time of the travel according to Procedures 07-007 Travel Meals and 07-009 Personal Automobile Expenses. Per Diem request reimbursement must be supported by evidence of the location the traveler visited such as conference agenda, or hotel or airline ticket receipts showing destination.

6.   All reimbursement requests must be approved as described in Policy 07-001 Introduction to Travel, Section D.2.

B.   REQUIREMENTS FOR RECEIPTS

1.   Original receipts for any claimed expense are required for USNH to reimburse the travel for any travel expense incurred – See exception in Section B.2 below. The receipt must be provided by the vendor and contain the following five IRS-required elements:

a. Name of the vendor (person or company you paid)
b. Transaction date (when you paid)
c. A detailed description of what was purchased
d. Amount paid
e. Form of payment (how you paid – cash, check, or credit card)

2.   Legible scanned document of receipt may be acceptable provided they include all the above elements and a dated and signed note from the traveler certifying the scanned document is a true copy of the original.

3.   Travel costs of $25 or less per transaction do not require receipts for reimbursement. For example, receipts are required for reimbursement of the cost of taxis, parking, and other travel costs that total more than $25 per fare.

4.   When a traveler loses or misplaces receipts needed to obtain reimbursement, the traveler must first attempt to obtain a duplicate receipt from the vendor where feasible. If a traveler is unsuccessful in getting a duplicate receipt, they may complete a Lost Receipt Form. A Lost Receipt Form should not be completed on a routine basis (generally no more than three per fiscal year will be accepted), and overuse may result in revocation of the privilege of providing a Lost Receipt Form in lieu of an original receipt.

5.   Lost Receipt Forms are not acceptable for hotel and airfare charges. The Traveler must contact the hotel or the airline and obtain a duplicate receipt in these cases.

C.   TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT TIMELINE

1.   Per IRS requirements, reimbursement requests received later than 60 calendar days after completion of the trip must be treated as taxable to the traveler. Expense reimbursement requests are treated as taking place within a reasonable period if the traveler submits a request for reimbursement that is adequately supported within 60 calendar days of completing a trip, or before the end date of the grant closeout period if travel is being charged to a Sponsored Program, whichever is sooner. A request is considered submitted on time when the date the traveler signed the form is within 60 calendar days of the completion of the trip, and the total cost of the trip is fully substantiated. Note that in cases where USNH is a sub-recipient of grant funds, the closeout period may be less than 60 days to allow our sponsor to bill for the reimbursements. With the exception of the 60 calendar day tax rule, the campus CFO or designee, may authorize individual exceptions to this policy upon written justification showing cause for noncompliance. For information regarding processing the earnings related to late submission of reimbursement requests, please see the Travel & Expense Administration section of the USNH Finance Hub (log in required; see instructions on the Employees section of the USNH website).

2.   For travelers who received an advance before traveling, unused USNH cash advances and/or proper substantiation of all costs must be returned within 10 business days of completing the trip. See Procedure 04-008 Cash Advances for more information.

D.   NON-REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES

Unallowable, unsubstantiated or unauthorized expenses will not be reimbursed. Please refer to Travel Cheat Sheet and Procedure 07-014 Non-Reimbursable Travel Expenses. If it is determined after reimbursement or use of USNH Purchasing card that a traveler violated any provision of USNH’s travel procedures, USNH will recoup such expenses from the traveler by seeking direct reimbursement. If full repayment is not received from a USNH employee, the Travel Expense Assistant will notify the employee and their supervisor, and the funds will be collected through a payroll deduction. USNH retains the right to collect any remaining funds by other means necessary (e.g., a civil suit or criminal prosecution as appropriate under the circumstances). In addition, disciplinary action may be taken under campus Human Resources policies or other appropriate internal policies.

In general, goods or services should, when practical, be procured through purchasing methods facilitated and approved by USNH Procurement (i.e., Contract, Purchase Order, or Pcard). The following categories are exempt from this limitation and may be reimbursed (1) reimbursements required via a collective bargaining agreement, (2) employee professional development, and (3) publishing fees for articles and other publications.

In cases when a Traveler disagrees with the decision of the Travel Expense Assistant, the traveler may refer the case to the campus CFO or designee which has the final decision on travel matters.

E.   FUNDRAISING, RECRUITING, AND TEAM TRAVEL

USNH recognizes the unique nature of travel expenses incurred for fundraising, recruiting, team sports, and other specialized activities. If these activities necessitate a deviation from the stated travel policy, reimbursement may be allowed, provided written pre-approval is obtained from the campus VPFA or designee. Campuses should have campus-specific policy and procedures related to these activities. 

F.   MIXING BUSINESS TRAVEL WITH PERSONAL TRIPS

Per USNH Procedure 07-014 Non-Reimbursable Travel Expenses, personal expenses are not reimbursable. This includes any personal portion of airfare, hotel accommodation, or car rental while on USNH business, as well as any additional cost that results from a traveler choosing a non-direct route or extending the stay for personal convenience or vacation. The traveler should include a statement and documentation that supports the cost of the business portion of the trip each time vacation or any other personal conveniences are included.

EXAMPLES: 

Example 1: An employee lives in NH is traveling to San Francisco, CA for an approved business meeting that is scheduled to take place Monday through Friday. The employee extends the trip and decides to take a personal vacation after the meeting ends and returns home the following Monday. Before booking the airline ticket for the mixed business and personal travel, the employee should document the cost of the lowest-priced airfare for a round trip airline ticket for the business portion only for a flight as if the employee were just traveling for the business meeting and save the documented flight price. A USNH Pcard must not be used to purchase the airline ticket as the trip contains personal travel. The employee is eligible for reimbursement of the lowest-priced airline ticket which could either be the round trip comparison flight or the actual round trip ticket that included personal vacation time. Documentation (including the saved flight comparison prices) and a statement must be included when the employee submits a travel reimbursement form clearly identifying that they are seeking reimbursement for the lowest-priced airline ticket. In addition, the employee is not eligible for reimbursement for per diem meals, hotel fees, transportation fees, or any personal travel expenses while on personal vacation and must not include those expenses on a reimbursement form.

Example 2: An employee is working with a supplier where a service is required on a vehicle, the employee must work with USNH Procurement to determine the most appropriate mechanism to pay for the service. The employee should not pay for the auto repair out of pocket and seek reimbursement.

 

The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version.

07 - 005 Air Travel, Domestic and Foreign

Please review Policy 07-001 Introduction to Travel for an overview of USNH travel policies. The procedures below provide more specific requirements related to Air Travel.

A.   COMMERCIAL AIR TRAVEL

Regardless of funding, generally, USNH travelers should book the lowest-priced airfare available for both domestic and foreign travel, source by purchasing a non-refundable ticket classified as economy/coach class or lower taking into consideration the traveler’s schedule and routing efficiency. Costs in excess of the economy fare will not be paid by USNH unless an exception has been approved prior to booking of the flight (see Policy 07-001 Introduction to Travel, section D.3, Authority to approve exceptions). If a traveler chooses an upgrade over the lowest-priced fare, the traveler will need to obtain documentation of the standard seat cost quote on the same flight to submit with their receipts. It is the responsibility of that individual to pay the difference between the lowest-priced fare available and the upgrade amount.

1.   Lower airfare may be possible if the traveler either departs a day early, stays an extra day, or stays over Saturday night. USNH will reimburse the additional lodging, meals, and other costs related to the overnight stay providing these costs do not exceed the amount saved on airfare. The related cost savings must be clearly documented. When possible, reservations should be made as far in advance as needed to take advantage of early purchase discounts. This is often one month in advance.

2.   USNH will not reimburse for the value of frequent flyer miles used for USNH travel.

3.   If the traveler uses an indirect route or interrupts travel via a direct route for personal convenience or vacation, any additional expenses above the lowest-priced fare available for a direct route will be borne by the traveler. The traveler should include a statement and documentation that supports the cost of the business portion of the trip.

4.   When the lowest-priced fare results in layovers of greater than two hours, a traveler may select a higher-priced fare as long as the incremental cost is reasonable. If travel is charged to a federally funded project, all flights must be in accordance with the Fly America Act (see Section D below).

5.   If a trip is cancelled for reasons beyond the control of the traveler (e.g., conference cancelled, etc.), USNH will pay for costs expended to date. Please see notice below regarding changes, cancellations and unused tickets charged to sponsored projects.

6.   USNH will reimburse travelers for common customary fees charged by an airline, such as booking fees for the flight, checked baggage fees, fee for a guaranteed standard seat when not included in the basic fare, or inflight internet access. It is important that these additional fees be considered when determining the lowest cost for the flight.

7.   USNH will not reimburse travelers for any costs associated with food or meals during a flight as these amounts are part of the employee meal and incidental per diem allowance.

8.   Personal use of any portion of a University purchased/reimbursed ticket is not allowed. Penalties imposed as a result of canceling a ticket or fees assessed for reissuing a non-refundable ticket may be reimbursed to the traveler if extenuating circumstances are documented in writing and approved by Campus CFO or designee.

B.   PRIVATE AND RENTAL PLANES

USNH travel by employees, via their personal aircraft or a rented/leased aircraft whether as pilots or passengers, is prohibited because USNH is not adequately insured for these risks. Any such travel costs will not be reimbursed. This does not include chartered flights (e.g. team travel) which may be authorized by the Campus CFO or designee.

C.   SPONSORED PROJECTS TRAVEL

1.   Changes, Cancellations, and Unused Tickets Due to Unforeseen Circumstances (including a government shutdown).

a.   Change Fees:  If a ticket has to be changed and a fee is incurred, the traveler may claim payment for the fee. The fee may be an allowable charge to a sponsored project based on the documented facts and circumstances. In the case of a shutdown, if the government sponsor cancelled the trip, the change fee is allowable.

b.   Cancelled Travel Costs: Travelers who have purchased tickets or incurred expenses for travel on sponsored programs which are subsequently cancelled are encouraged to rebook unused airfare and cancel lodging reservations and conference fees whenever possible. If the travel is not rebooked within the project period, then the expenses should not be charged to the sponsored program, but rather a university fund; unless the travel has been cancelled due to circumstances beyond the traveler’s control, e.g., a government shutdown. 

In these cases, appropriate documentation, including an explanation for the cancellation, must be included with the Personal Reimbursement Form or PCard Documentation.

2.   Foreign Travel

a.   Sponsor regulations regarding foreign travel vary. For this reason, all federally sponsored international travel must be pre-approved by STAR or campus research office until transition to STAR has been completed.

b.   Requests for pre-approval should include the traveler's name, destination, cost, airline carrier (federal awards require U. S. flag carriers or carriers with an exception to the Fly America Act described below), source of funds, purpose of the travel, and ticket classification (e.g., the coach, business, first class, etc.). This information should be included when the traveler is requesting pre-approval.

c.   It is important to note that most federal sponsors do not allow travel on a non-U.S. flag carrier, regardless of cost savings. Project Directors should be aware of their sponsor's regulations regarding foreign travel. Awareness of the regulations up front could avert a possible foreign cost disallowance later. See Uniform Guidance, section 200.474 for rules pertaining to travel costs allocable to federally sponsored agreements.

3.   The Fly America Act

The Fly America Act mandates the use of U.S. flag carriers when traveling on funds provided by the federal government unless permitted exceptions exist. U.S. flag carriers are airlines owned by an American company. The choice to “Fly America” is made regardless of cost or convenience. Travel with a foreign air carrier must be necessary and meet the exception criteria defined by the Fly America Act.

a.   Federally sponsored trips must utilize U.S. flag carriers at the lowest available rates. Federal regulations prohibit the charging of business class or first-class air travel to federally sponsored projects. Travel should adhere to USNH travel procedures unless sponsor requirements impose greater restrictions. The Act does not apply to non-federally funded awards. If you are scheduling federally funded travel, unless a permitted exception exists, flights must be scheduled on U.S. flag carriers or on foreign air carriers that “code share” with a U.S. Flag carrier.

b.   Code sharing occurs when two or more airlines “code” the same flight as if it is their own. In other words, a U.S. airline may sell a seat on a plane of a foreign air carrier and this seat is considered the same as one on a plane operated by a U.S. flag carrier. Compliance with the Fly America Act is satisfied when the U.S. flag air carrier’s designator code is shown. If you believe that you were on a code share flight, but there is no documentation showing the carrier code, you cannot charge the flight to a federally sponsored project. If your travel was originally booked on a U.S. carrier and the air carrier involuntarily re-routed you to a non-U.S. air carrier, document this situation and the exceptional circumstances, your travel will be supported by federal funds. Permitted exceptions must be documented in advance with the Fly America Act Exception Form.

c.   It is necessary to present proof of a U.S. flag air carrier’s designator codes for all legs of a trip when traveling on federal funds. An air carrier’s designator code is present in the area next to the flight numbers on the airline ticket, boarding pass, or on the documentation for an electronic ticket (passenger receipt). There are several resources online which provide airlines and designator codes, be sure that the airline used is a major U.S. airline. The key to compliance is making sure the trip either complies, or is eligible for exemption, before the trip is taken. Reimbursement for foreign air carriers must be denied unless a foreign air carrier is permitted under this regulation.

d.   The biggest exception to the Fly America Act is the Open Skies Agreement. On October 6, 2010 the Unites States and European Union (EU) “Open Skies” Air Transport Agreement was published by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) providing full explanation of the multilateral agreement in place so that qualifying travelers, whose travel is supported by federal funds, may travel on European Union (EU) airlines as well as U.S. flag air carriers. There are also Open Skies agreements with Australia, Switzerland, and Japan. When traveling to a destination serviced by a European Union airline, USNH travelers flying on a federal grant can fly on either a US carrier or an EU carrier as long as they touch down in an EU Country.

i.    USNH travelers on federal Funds cannot use city-pair1 contracts
ii.   USNH travelers flying on a federal grant can use an Australian airline if the origin/destination is either the US or Australia and no city-pair contract flight between the two points (origin and destination) exists.
iii.  USNH travelers flying on a federal grant can us a Swiss airline if a point of origin/destination is either the US or Switzerland and no city-pair contract flight between the two points (origin and destination) exists.
iv.  USNH travelers flying on a federal grant can us a Japanese airline if a point of origin/destination is either the US or Japan and no city-pair contract flight between the two points (origin and destination) exists.
v.   Travelers using funding from U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) or Secretary of a military department such as the Air Force, Army or Navy, are not permitted to take advantage of the open sky agreements. Travelers using these funds must use a U.S. flag carrier, unless they qualify for a permitted exception of the Fly America Act. If you are unsure if an exception exists, contact the responsible accounting and financial compliance representative for the award.

Caution: The costs of travel subject to the Fly America Act that do not adhere to this federal regulation will be borne by the Principal Investigator’s department or will need to be transferred to a suitable non-federal funding source.

D.   AIRPORT BUSES, PARKING, SHUTTLES, AND TAXIS

1.   Travelers should use the most cost-efficient means of travel to and from airports, with due consideration for reasonable personal convenience and safety as well as USNH business concerns. Public transportation and carpooling are encouraged. If using Logan airport, travelers should use bus transportation when available.

2.   Travelers may use the "Park and Fly" parking lots at or near airports after consideration of the cost and convenience of alternative transportation. Cost savings of "Park and Fly" over alternative transportation should be documented for travel exceeding 10 days.

3.   Travelers departing from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport should use the most reasonable parking available while on USNH business.

4.   Travelers should use complimentary shuttle service to and from the airport if provided by hotels or conferences. Lacking such service, travelers should use other non-extravagant transportation such as regularly-scheduled shuttles, ride share services, buses, or taxis between airports and hotels. Auto rentals should be considered only in the absence of less expensive modes of transportation providing reasonable convenience.

5.   Travelers must document reasons why the lowest-cost mode of transportation was not used when requesting reimbursement for more expensive methods. The Travel Expense Assistant will review the documentation for reasonableness with recognition given to the value of an employee's time, weather conditions, and other special circumstances.  If the Travel Expense Assistant deems the explanation insufficient to support the higher cost, reimbursement will be made at the lower rate. Tips up to 15% of fare paid to taxi drivers are considered reasonable and may be reimbursed.

E.   USE OF USNH PURCHASING CARD

1.   Travelers not using a USNH Purchasing Card are required to pay for airfare and other airport transportation costs personally. They will be reimbursed after the trip for the actual cost or the lowest rate available whichever is less.

2.   Only business-related airfare and public airport transportation can be directly charged to a USNH Purchasing Card. When combining a personal trip with a business trip, the entire airline ticket will need to be paid personally.

F.   ACCEPTABLE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

In addition to the required documentation described in section of Procedure 07-004 Travel Expense Reimbursement, to secure reimbursement for air travel cost, a traveler must:

1. Retain and submit all transportation ticket receipts
2. Submit documentation of reason(s) why lowest cost mode of transportation was not used, along with necessary pre-approval where applicable
3. Submit itemized receipts for parking, public transportation, shuttle service or taxi service to or from the airport. Refer to Procedure 07-004 Travel Expense Reimbursement, Section B., for receipt requirements.

The City Pair Program (CPP) is a federal program offering fares considerably lower than comparable commercial fares, saving the federal government billions of dollars annually. The program is restricted to federal or military employees on official travel, therefore USNH is not eligible to participate.


The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version.

07 - 006 Lodging

Please review Policy 07-001 Introduction to Travel for an overview of USNH travel policies. The procedures below provide more specific requirements related to Lodging.

A.   TRADITIONAL LODGING ACCOMMODATIONS

1.   Allowable lodging cost is generally based on the least expensive available rate for single occupancy in moderately-priced, safe accommodations given reasonable personal convenience. Lodging expenses are reimbursed based on actual cost. USNH uses the federal lodging per diem rate only as a standard measurement for reasonableness of accommodation costs.

2.   The cost of lodging for overnight travel within 50 miles of the traveler's place of business is not an allowable cost unless the circumstances necessitating such overnight travel are fully documented with a compelling business purpose approved in writing by the department head responsible for authorizing the travel. Potential criteria for approval may include extremely late night or early morning job responsibilities or excessive travel time due to extreme traffic or weather conditions.

3.   When possible, reservations should be made as far in advance as needed to take advantage of advance purchase discounts or special conference rates.

4.   Travelers should inquire while making reservations as to the availability of exemption from state rooms tax for employees of educational institutions. A copy of USNH state exemption letters may be obtained from the USNH Procurement Services Office in advance of travel if required by the hotel.

5.   When traveling to a conference, USNH assumes travelers will stay at the hosting hotel even if the rate exceeds the federal lodging per diem rate for the area. If there is a choice of hosting hotels, travelers are expected to stay at the least expensive property.

6.   The traveler should consider using a personal telephone card or personal cell phone to charge calls since this can be considerably cheaper than having the hotel bill the traveler for calls made from a hotel room.

7.   Tips to bellhops and chambermaids are reimbursable if they are reasonable (i.e., $1 or $2 per bag or night of lodging, respectively). However, these tips are not allowed if the employee is reimbursed based on the federal meals & incidental expense (M&IE) per diem rate.

8.   In-room service and/or items from an in-room service center are not reimbursable.

B.   ALTERNATIVE LODGING ACCOMMODATIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS

1.   Items to be considered before booking alternative lodging venues include:

a. Whether traditional lodging is available in reasonable proximity to the business destination
b. Length of stay
c. Comparison of cost against traditional hotel/motel venues
d. Specific dietary or accommodation requirements associated with medical conditions or disabilities, and
e. Need for meeting, team-building and/or collaboration space availability

2.   If a determination is made to choose alternative lodging accommodations, the following requirements must be followed:

a. The facility should be rented through an approved platform (AirBnB, HomeAway or VRBO) that has a host liability insurance program and 24 hour customer service.
b. Travelers should review their campus conflict of interest policy before booking any alternative lodging arrangements run/owned by a relative, friend or acquaintance to avoid any appearance of misconduct.
c. Travelers may use a USNH PCard to pay any related costs through the platform’s website. Adequate supporting documentation should be maintained and scanned for review by the Pcard Manager. See sections C and D below for documentation requirements related to lodging and meals provided by these types of facilities.
d. The facility being rented should not result in any perceived conflict of interest. For example, the property should not be owned by a relative or friend of the person renting the space.
e. Traveler(s) must have a valid business reason for the entire length of the stay.
f. The facility should have basic safety features including operational smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, multiple means of egress, and adequate lighting at a minimum.
g. The host should have a history of positive reviews with the platform on which it is advertised.
h. The facility should also have a valid business permit indicating compliance with related country/region/city and/or local regulations in order for the booking to be deemed legal.
i. Because individuals booking through these venues are assuming personal risks, all USNH travelers using such venues must be at least 18 years old.
j. Campuses may have additional requirements related to use of these venues for sponsored programs, athletics, fundraising and executive travel that require pre-approval by the campus Chief Financial Officer as well.

C.   RECEIPTS FOR LODGING

As described in Procedure 07-004 Travel Expense Reimbursement, travelers must submit original itemized receipts (legible scanned copies acceptable see section B.2 of Procedure 07-004 Travel Expense Reimbursement) to support all lodging expenses claimed.  These include the following:

1.   Hotel/lodging receipt indicating the name and location of the venue and dates of occupancy.

2.   If the traveler stayed at a place where lodging costs significantly exceed the federal lodging per diem rate, the traveler must

a. submit the agenda for the conference/meeting with accommodation cost detail, or
b. provide alternative evidence that the higher costs resulted in a lower overall trip cost to USNH because of reduced transportation or other costs, or
c. provide a justifiable business purpose pre-approved by the campus CFO or designee.

In cases where documentation is insufficient, the lodging per diem should be used for reimbursement.

3.   A credit card charge slip with no detailed breakdown of the charges is not considered an acceptable substitute for an original receipt. If detailed travel receipts are not available, the traveler must contact the hotel or alternative venue to obtain a copy of the original venue’s folio.

D.   MEAL RECEIPTS

1.   Detail for meal charges incurred at a hotel or alternative site must be shown separately on the venue’s receipts and accompanied by a list of attendees/roles, in order to be reimbursable (see Procedure 07-007 Travel Meals). Note that such amounts cannot be combined with any MI&E per diem reimbursement request.


The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version.

07 - 007 Travel Meals

Please review Policy 07-001 Introduction to Travel for an overview of USNH travel policies. The procedures below provide more specific requirements related to Travel Meals.

If a USNH traveler’s trip results in an overnight stay, meals are reimbursed in an amount not to exceed the standard (i.e., per diem) meal allowance, unless an exception for actual meal expenses in excess of per diem allowance has been granted (see Policy 07-001 Introduction to Travel, Section D.3). A single day traveler is not entitled to actual or per diem meal reimbursement. Please refer to Procedure 08-009 Meals and Entertainment for cases where supper money may be appropriate.

A traveler may not "mix and match" actual expense and per diem allowance on a given trip, except in the case of business entertainment meals (see Section F below).

A.   PER DIEM ALLOWANCE REIMBURSEMENT METHOD

1.   A traveler may be reimbursed for meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) based on the federal M&IE per diem rate in effect for their destination on the date of travel. On the day the traveler returns home (e.g., last day of travel), the traveler is entitled to per diem based on their location the night before.

2.   The General Services Administration of the U.S. Government establishes the M&IE per diem rates. A complete list of current rates is available by contacting your campus finance office or calling USNH Travel Coordinator (862-2642). In addition, the rates may be obtained at Procedure 07-002 Website for Travel References. (Note: US General Services Administration (www.gsa.gov) also provides access to additional travel information).

3.   The per diem method is preferable due to its simplicity and reduced cost of administration. However, a traveler may be reimbursed for less than the per diem rate if they so choose.

4.   If the federal per diem rate changes during a trip, reimbursement will be based on the federal rate in effect for each day of travel.

5.   The time, place, and business purpose of the overall travel must be substantiated using USNH standard travel forms (see Procedure 07-004 Travel Expense Reimbursement).

6.   Different per diem rates apply to the following:

a. Travel inside the continental U.S. and the District of Columbia
b. Travel outside the continental U.S.
c. If a specific per diem rate is not available for a town or city, the applicable county rate should be used. If no rate is available for the county, the CONUS (contiguous United States) rate must be used per the IRS regulations.

7.   When claiming per diem allowance, no receipts should be submitted.

B.   WHEN PER DIEM RATES MUST BE ADJUSTED

Per diem rates must be adjusted in the following circumstances:

1.   A traveler is not entitled to be reimbursed for the applicable portion of per diem for any meal provided as part of a conference registration fee. For example, using the data in the table below: if the full day per diem is $50 and breakfast is provided at the conference, the allowable reimbursement would be reduced by $11.25 resulting in a payment of $38.75.

2.   A traveler is not entitled to be reimbursed for the applicable portion of per diem when a colleague, vendor, or other third party pays for a meal.

3.   A traveler is not entitled to be reimbursed for the applicable portion of per diem when the USNH traveler claims the actual cost of a business or entertainment meal (see Procedure 08-009 Meals and Entertainment).

4.   Hotel breakfast included in the hotel/lodging reservation price or international airfare meals provided as part of the airline ticket price for longer flights do not require a deduction from the per diem allowance.

5.   On the first and last day of travel, a traveler is entitled to 75 percent of the appropriate M&IE rate regardless of what time the traveler departs or returns and there is no need to adjust for any provided meals on first or last day of travel.

C.   HOW TO ADJUST PER DIEM RATES

1.   A traveler in the continental U.S. who is entitled to less than the full per diem rate as described above should claim reimbursement for meals expense according to the following schedule:

  Per Diem - example at $50 per diem rate (not real per diem rate)
M&IE - for the day per the chart $50.00
Incidental $5.00
Meal only excluding IE $45.00
Breakfast - 25% $11.25
Lunch - 28% $12.60
Dinner - 47% $21.15
First & Last Day of Travel $37.50

In those instances where the sum of the individual meals is more than the full per diem rate, the traveler's reimbursement is limited to the full per diem rate. The on-line USNH Personal Reimbursement Form automatically calculates the allowable pro-rated meal based on the daily meal rate, and a traveler is entitled to the incidental rate on each day of travel except the first and last day which already include the rate for incidentals.

2.   A traveler outside the continental U.S. who is entitled to less than the full per diem rate should adjust their per diem rates in the same manner as indicated in section C.1, using the same percentages for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

D.   REQUESTING PER DIEM ON BEHALF OF OTHERS

In general, no one should claim per diem on behalf of another traveler. Each traveler must submit his/her own travel reimbursement form. However, under certain circumstances, it might make business sense to request per diem reimbursement for a group of students or volunteers on USNH business travel. These cases must follow campus specific policy and procedures related to team travel and other specialized activities and may require written pre-approval from the Campus CFO or designee.

E.   ACTUAL EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT METHOD

If this method is approved for use, the traveler may be reimbursed for his/her actual cost of meals and gratuities or the cost of a moderately-priced meal of acceptable quality, whichever is less. Tips for meals in excess of 20% of meal cost are generally not appropriate as a USNH business expense and therefore will not be reimbursed. Note this method is not suitable for federal sponsored programs and should not be used for travel under these programs.

1.   A USNH P-card holder may not use his/her USNH provided card to purchase his/her personal meals unless he/she has obtained prior approval from the USNH P-card Administrator.

2.   Original (or legible scanned) receipts are required for all meal expenses, regardless of amount, if this option is chosen. If a group of colleagues splits a bill and receipts are not readily available, the traveler should document the cost of their individual portion of the bill as well as the circumstances.

3.   Costs incurred for meals must be reasonable. Meals may not be either lavish or extravagant. The per diem rate should be used to judge the reasonableness of actual meal costs incurred.

4.   If the traveler paid meals for others, the receipt for meals expense must also include the date, time, location, names and titles of those in attendance, and business matters discussed. In cases where there are more than 6 people in attendance, the name of the committee or organization and the number of participants will suffice (e.g., Faculty Senate meeting, 12 in attendance). In some cases, the names of certain individuals in attendance may warrant non-disclosure such as meetings with potential donors or when conducting interviews or meetings related to litigation matters. In these cases, those individuals may be referred to as Applicant 1, Applicant 2, Donor, Litigant, etc.

5.   After making a purchase on a P-Card, employees must complete the P-Card Expense Form on the USNH Finance Hub and compile receipts to demonstrate the business purpose of any transactions. Once completed, employees should email their form and receipts to the FOC. Employees are required to secure any necessary approvals prior to submission. 

F.   ENTERTAINMENT MEALS

The per diem meal allowance does not apply when entertaining others. IRS regulations pertaining to entertainment meals require receipts for meals, the name(s) of the guest(s), title(s), or other designation(s) as well as the business relationship to the traveler. In addition, the business purpose, place, date, and amount of the expenditure must be documented. (See Procedure 08-009 Meals and Entertainment). Travelers using the per diem meal allowance method of reimbursement who are entitled to reimbursement of an entertainment meal must modify the full day rate (see section B.1.f above). Charges to federally funded projects for entertainment meals are not allowed.

G.   NON- REIMBURSABLE MEAL COSTS

USNH does not reimburse for the following meal costs:

1.   Alcohol unless an appropriate source of funds is cited and a bona fide business purpose is disclosed for functions allowed under Procedure 08-003 Alcohol.

2.   Meals in lieu of those included in conference registration fees. If a traveler chooses to decline a meal provided as part of a conference and purchase a meal elsewhere, he/she will generally not be reimbursed for that meal. If the per diem meal allowance is used, the allowance must be appropriately modified (see section B above).

3.   Tips on meals, if the employee is reimbursed based on the federal meals and incidental expense (M&IE) per diem rate. Otherwise, tips on meals may not exceed 20% of meal cost.

4.   Meals for spouse or other personal travel companion without a valid business purpose (see Procedure 08-007 Spousal Expenses).


The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version.

07 - 009 Personal Automobile Expenses

A.   USAGE GUIDELINES FOR PERSONAL VEHICLES

1.   When campus-owned or leased vehicles are not available, employees may use their personal car for business purposes if it is less expensive than renting a car, taking a taxi or bus, using alternate transportation, or to save time.

2.   Personal vehicles used for USNH business must be adequately insured for public liability insurance protection. Travelers are responsible for insuring their own vehicles. Travelers will not be reimbursed by USNH for collision losses that occur during business use of a personal vehicle. In the event of an accident, the owner's personal insurance provides coverage, and the owner is personally responsible for any deductible payable. USNH does not provide any coverage for comprehensive or collision for personal vehicles used for business.

3.   Carpooling is encouraged.

4.   Employees should take advantage of campus shuttles where available when traveling around USNH campuses.

5.   A traveler who elects to drive to a location rather than flying, will be reimbursed the lesser of: (a) the amount using the rules for reimbursement in Section B below, or (b) the sum of the lowest available airfare plus the cost of transportation to and from the airport. Additional costs of lodging and meals during the period of travel in excess of reasonable equivalent air transport will not be reimbursed.

B.   REIMBURSEMENT FOR BUSINESS MILES (INCLUDING UNDER FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGEMENTS)

1.   Travelers will be reimbursed for business use of personal vehicles at the IRS Standard mileage rate in effect at the time of travel. Under IRS Reg. § 1.262-1(b)(5), costs of commuting to the place of business or employment are personal expenses. Adequate records must be maintained to document all mileage claimed for reimbursement.

The current rate is available at Procedure 07-002 Website for Travel References. The standard mileage allowance is in lieu of all actual operating expenses such as fuel, oil, towing charges, repairs, tires, insurance, accident deductibles, etc.

2.   For employees whose primary place of business is a USNH location or who are working in a Hybrid position but have an assigned USNH work location, USNH reimburses for actual mileage incurred, using the most direct route, excluding personal commuting miles (see below). See policy USY.V.C.21, Flexible Work Arrangements.

3.   Employees working in a Work From Anywhere (WFA) or a Fully Remote work arrangement will be reimbursed for actual mileage between the employee’s remote work location (such as a home office) and any USNH location or business location when it is necessary for them to be physically present at that location for business purposes.

4.   In general and in accordance with state and federal tax regulations, business mileage incurred and reimbursed, excludes personal commuting miles to the USNH work location or other business destination that is less miles than regular commuting miles to the assigned USNH work location. This includes commuting to the assigned work location on both planned and unplanned in-office scheduled workdays. The assigned work location of an employee in a flexible work arrangement shall be the physical location designated on their Flexible Work Arrangement Form.

Business-related mileage which occurs on a day when the traveler would not have otherwise been scheduled to work (e.g., weekends, legal holidays) is fully reimbursable. No reduction is made for regular personal commuting miles.

The employee is responsible for any state or federal tax implications associated with their work arrangement and designation.

5.   Tolls, ferries, and parking expenses incurred while on business travel are reimbursable in addition to the mileage allowance. Personal use, parking tickets, traffic fines and penalties, towing charges, accidents and theft losses are examples of expenses not reimbursable.

C.   CALCULATING BUSINESS MILEAGE

To calculate eligible miles:

  1. Determine the total number of business-related miles traveled during the day, beginning and ending at your residence or remote work location.
  2. Subtract from that total your personal commuting miles when making a round trip between your residence and your assigned work location. In most cases, employees in a Fully Remote or WFA flexible work arrangement will not need to deduct personal commuting miles.
  3. The difference is your allowable reimbursed miles. Documentation for reimbursed mileage amounts must include the above calculation, destination, and business purpose.

D.   ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  1. Employee: The employee is responsible for providing the business purpose, dates, and eligible mileage of each trip and submitting claims not more than 60 days after the expenses were incurred.
  2. Supervisor: Supervisors are responsible for verifying that the travel was necessary for business purposes when approving the reimbursement request. Supervisors must ensure that employees have an accurate and current Flexible Work Arrangement Form on file, if applicable.

EXAMPLES OF REIMBURSEMENT FOR BUSINESS MILES (INCLUDING FLEXIBLE WORK ARRANGMENTS)

Example 1: An employee in a Hybrid work arrangement normally drives 10 miles from their home to their assigned work location at the USNH office in Concord. As a result of USNH’s Flexible Work Arrangement, the employee now primarily works from home. The employee is required to travel to PSU for a meeting and the length of travel is 50 miles each way from their home. When they submit a mileage reimbursement request, only 80 miles can be claimed for reimbursement (100 miles less the 20 mile normal round trip commute).

Example 2: An employee in a Fully Remote Work Arrangement is required to drive to a USNH location for a meeting. The employee is eligible for mileage reimbursement from their home work location and the daily parking fee.

Example 3: An employee normally works in the Concord office on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the other days at their home. The employee’s supervisor requests that in addition, they come to Concord for an in-person meeting on a Friday. The employee is not reimbursed for mileage for the “extra” trip on Friday.

Example 4: An employee whose assigned work location is KSC and travels from the KSC campus to a meeting at the System Office in Concord and returns to the KSC campus. The eligible reimbursement will be roundtrip mileage to and from the Keene campus.

Example 5: An employee in a Hybrid work arrangement lives in Northwood and works primarily from home. They have an assigned work location of USNH in Concord (normal commute of 20 miles). They travel to UNH Durham for a meeting from their home (15 miles). There is no mileage reimbursement for the trip because it is less than their normal commute.

Example 6: An employee in a Hybrid or Regular work arrangement travels to their assigned work location at PSU for a morning meeting (20 miles). The employee then drives from PSU to Concord (50 miles) for an afternoon meeting and then back to their home. (70 miles). The employee is reimbursed for 100 miles (total miles of 140 minus regular commute of 40 miles).

Example 7: An employee is in a Fully Remote Work Arrangement and works from their home in North Conway. The employee drives to UNH Durham to pick up a computer and attend training. The employee is eligible for reimbursement of round-trip miles between Durham and North Conway and would be eligible for reimbursement of a daily parking fee. Campus parking permit fees are not a reimbursable travel expense.

Example 8: An employee needs to drive to various work sites for work on a research project. They normally commute from their home to UNH Durham (20 miles round trip). One of the research project sites is close to the employee’s home and they drive from home to the research site (10 miles round trip) in lieu of their normal commute to UNH Durham. The employee is not eligible for the reimbursement of the 10 miles as it is less than their normal commute.

Example 9: An employee needs to drive to various work sites for work on a research project. They normally commute from their home to UNH Durham (20 miles round trip). The employee drives into UNH Durham campus in the morning (10 miles) and in the afternoon they drive to various research sites (50 total miles) and drive home from the final research site. The employee is eligible for mileage reimbursement for 30 miles (50 miles less the 20 normal commuting miles).

Example 10: An employee in a Hybrid or Regular work arrangement is assigned a work location of UNH Durham. They are required to go to the UNH Durham campus for an on-site meeting on a day when the employee is regularly scheduled to work. The employee is not eligible for reimbursement of mileage, and they are not eligible for reimbursement of daily parking fee or campus parking permit.


The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version.

07 - 010 Vehicle Rental Expenses

A. USNH VEHICLE RENTAL CONTRACTS

Travelers requiring a rental vehicle at an off-campus location should obtain the most cost and energy efficient rental agreement. For UNH, KSC, PSU, Chancellor's Offices, GSC and UNH-M travelers, the USNH Procurement Services Office should be contacted for information on current rental vehicle contracts. In general, subcompact or compact vehicles are considered appropriate and reasonable for USNH travelers. Travelers with AAA or AARP memberships may receive discounts which exceed those negotiated by USNH and are encouraged to use those discounts.

B. PAYMENT METHOD

The preferred payment method for vehicle rentals from USNH-contracted local rental agencies is the USNH purchasing card. This applies to UNH, KSC, PSU, Chancellor's Offices, GSC and UNH-M travelers. If the USNH purchasing card is used to rent a vehicle, insurance coverage is provided in the event there is damage to the rental vehicle. USNH's business auto policy provides liability coverage on all rental vehicles.

C. INSURANCE COVERAGE

  1. USNH employees using the USNH purchasing card for travel in the U. S. and certain overseas destinations should decline the CDW (collision damage waiver) and LDW (loss damage waiver) as this coverage is provided through the Wells Fargo MasterCard Purchasing Card program and through USNH's business auto insurance policy with Acadia Insurance. Travelers using the USNH purchasing card, or another means of payment will not be reimbursed for CDW or LDW charges if they accept the coverage or choose to use another means of payment, unless pre-approved in writing by the USNH Vice Chancellor for Financial Affairs or designee. Travelers with a USNH purchasing card should contact Wells Fargo at 1-800-932-0036 prior to travel to inquire about insurance coverage for overseas rentals. If separate coverage is required, a written explanation on the travel expense voucher as well as supporting documentation is necessary for reimbursement of the CDW charges.

  2. Travelers who are not employees of USNH but are authorized to rent a vehicle for USNH business, including spouses, job applicants, guest speakers, colleagues of employees and USNH students, will have CDW and LDW coverage under the MasterCard contract only if (a) their names are on the vehicle rental agency contract at the time the vehicle is picked up and (b) the vehicle rental is charged to a USNH purchasing card.

  3. In the event of an accident with a rental vehicle charged to the traveler's USNH purchasing card, the traveler should contact MasterCard at 1-800-MC-Assist. MasterCard representatives will handle the claim with the rental agency. The USNH PCard Program Administrator and USNH Policy & Risk Office must also be notified of the accident as soon as possible.

  4. In the event of an accident with any rental vehicle not paid for with a USNH purchasing card, notification must be sent to the USNH Policy & Risk Office.

D. OPERATING EXPENSES

  1. Reimbursable expenses include rental fees, gasoline charges, parking, tolls and other operating costs such as flat tires, wiper blades, etc.

  2. Non-reimbursable expenses include parking tickets, fines and penalties, towing charges, accidents, theft, and purchased insurance (CDW and LDW) for employee-rented vehicles charged to a USNH purchasing card.


The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version.

07 - 013 Misc. Reimburseable Travel Expenses

The following items are generally reimbursable to the extent they are reasonable and necessary business expenditures:

  1. Business office expenses (fax, copy services, internet charges, etc.)
  2. Business phone calls
  3. Conference fees
  4. Currency conversion fees
  5. Inflight internet access fees
  6. Fees for the purchase of traveler's checks
  7. Gasoline for refueling a rented car
  8. Ground transportation (train, taxi, bus, subway, Uber, Lyft, etc.)
  9. Laundry and dry-cleaning charges for trips exceeding five calendar days
  10. Parking and tolls (Note: Drivers of USNH vehicles with a U plate are exempt from paying tolls in NH. They may be asked to show their campus ID's.)
  11. Reasonable personal phone calls that allow the traveler to stay in touch with his/her family. A ten-minute call per day of travel is considered a reasonable guideline.
  12. Tips up to 15% for transportation such as taxi, Uber or Lyft.
  13. Tips up to 20% of meal cost (only if actual expense meal option is chosen).

Please refer to Procedure 07-014 Non-Reimbursable Travel Expenses for examples of items not reimbursable, or refer to 07-013B Travel Policy Cheat Sheet.


USNH will only reimburse a traveler for items paid personally (conference fees, plane and train tickets, etc.) after the travel has taken place.


The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version.

07 - 13B Travel Policy Cheat Sheet

travel policy cheat sheet

07 - 014 Non-Reimbursable Travel Expenses

The following items are generally not reimbursable. Note: This list is not all-inclusive.

  1. Services, except for items noted in 07-004. (USNH employees should procure services and goods through purchasing methods approved and facilitated by Procurement).
  2. Alcoholic beverages
  3. Portion of per diem for conference meals paid as part of registration fee (see Procedure 07-007, Travel Meals). Any exception to this rule due to disability or medical condition(s) requires approval from the Campus ADA Compliance Officer, or equivalent. All other exceptions to this rule require campus CFO or designee approval.
  4. Movie rentals, theater tickets, newspapers, magazines, prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, etc.
  5. Insurance on rental automobiles for USNH employees (see Procedure 07-010 Vehicle Rental Expenses)
  6. Trip/Flight insurance. Any exception to this rule due to disability or medical condition(s) requires approval from the Campus ADA Compliance Officer or equivalent. All other non-disability/medical condition exceptions to this rule require campus CFO or designee approval. The cost of any insurance/protection is the responsibility of unit and must be funded within existing budget allocations. Additionally, the purchase of any insurance must be approved in advance by the employee’s supervisor/manager and/or the individual responsible for approving the travel request for USNH.
  7. Parking tickets and fines for traffic violations
  8. Personal expenses
  9. Personal portion of airfare while on USNH business
  10. Personal-use portion of a car rented for USNH business
  11. Repairs or towing of personal vehicles used for USNH business. These costs are included in the mileage reimbursement rate.
  12. Expenses incurred by spouses, partners and families or rate increases occasioned by presence of spouses, partners and families (see Procedure 08-007 Spousal Expenses)
  13. Laundry service for trips of five days or less
  14. Personal aircraft usage
  15. Extra baggage charges for personal items, such as golf clubs, skis, etc.
  16. Fees to check-in or board early, fees for preferred seating, fees for expedited security check, flight change fees and any other optional fees are generally not reimbursable. Exceptions to this rule due to disability or medical condition(s) require approval from the Campus ADA Compliance Officer, or equivalent. All other exceptions to this rule require campus CFO or designee approval.
  17. Childcare or pet care costs
  18. Loss or theft of cash advance money or airline tickets
  19. Locksmith charges
  20. Lost baggage, luggage, and briefcases
  21. Souvenirs and personal gifts
  22. Health club fees
  23. Tips on meal, bellhops and chambermaids if employee is reimbursed via Federal meals & incidental expense (M&IE) per diem rate.
  24. Security deposits for temporary lodging/housing in which an employee is staying while traveling on USNH business. (See Procedure 04-008 Cash Advances (for travel and other purposes) for options regarding security deposits.)
  25. Campus parking permits
  26. Gas for personal vehicles or personal recharging fees for electric vehicles (EV’s)

Please refer to Procedure 07-013 Misc. Reimbursable Travel Expenses for examples of items reimbursable, or refer to 07-013B Travel Policy Cheat Sheet.


The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version. 

07 - 015 Non-Employee Travel

A.   SUMMARY

Certain individuals that are not employees of USNH may periodically incur USNH business-related travel expenses. These individuals are subject to the same travel guidelines as USNH employees. Typical non-employees who travel on USNH business include job applicants, guest speakers, students (both graduate and undergraduate), members of USNH Boards of Trustees, volunteers, and paid consultants.

Provisions for reimbursement of all out-of-pocket expenses, including travel costs, should be included in each consulting agreement. If an agreement does not include such provisions, the consultant must follow the terms set out for USNH employees as published in the other policies included in this section. Consultants incurring out of pocket travel costs associated with their work for USNH must invoice their travel expenses as a component of their service fees. These costs should be charged to a USNH account codes in the 717 – Professional Services range, and will be included on the U.S. Form 1099 (or equivalent) issued each year.

B.   SPECIFIC PROCEDURES

1.   Non-employees may make their own travel arrangements at the discretion of the USNH department authorizing the travel, provided they fully adhere to all USNH Travel Policies/Procedures.

2.   Non-employees may not receive USNH cash advances for any costs.

3.   Rental vehicles:

a.   Non-employees traveling with USNH employees who rent a vehicle using their USNH Purchasing Card will have CDW and LDW coverage under the Master Card Guide to Benefits only if their names are on the auto rental agency contract at the time the vehicle is picked up. USNH travelers should verify coverage with the rental agency prior to allowing non-employees to drive rental vehicles. If in doubt, a USNH employee should complete the rental and drive the vehicle (see Procedure 07-010 Vehicle Rental Expenses).

b.   All other non-employees traveling on USNH business who rent a vehicle are not covered for CDW or LDW under USNH insurance policies. These travelers should purchase both the CDW and LDW and request reimbursement from USNH.

4.   A non-employee traveling on USNH business that has been approved by the Department Head may be reimbursed for mileage at the IRS mileage rate or a lesser amount. The business purpose must be clearly documented.

5.   Travel Meals: Reimbursements should follow the guidelines for USNH employees (see Procedure 07-007 Travel Meals). The USNH business purpose must be provided to determine if the meal falls under the IRS Accountable Plan Rules or if the meal cost is taxable compensation.

6.   A request for reimbursement of expenses incurred using the standard USNH form must be submitted along with all original receipts for any non-employee cost reimbursement.

7.   Special visa rules apply to foreign individuals who:

a. Are not USNH employees,
b. Travel on behalf of USNH either to or from the U.S., and
c. Receive reimbursement for that travel.

Departments should contact their campus Office of International Students/Studies for assistance in this area.


The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version. 

07 - 117 Travel Pre-Approval/Advance

A. SUMMARY OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE

The USNH Travel Pre-Approval/Advance Form is a document that can provide for pre-approval of a trip and a request for a travel advance in one form. In addition, if travel is pre-approved, reimbursement requests need not go through the same approval process if final costs are within the estimated amounts. This should allow reimbursement to the traveler to occur as rapidly as possible.

Although pre-approval of foreign travel is explicitly required for federal grant related travel, use of pre-approval can facilitate the reimbursement process in other funds as well as provide for budget planning needs. When requesting Pre-Approval for foreign travel on federal grants, please also include the proposed itinerary including traveler's name, destination, cost, airline carrier (federal awards require U. S. flag carriers or carriers with an exception to the Fly America Act described below), source of funds, purpose of the travel, and ticket classification (e.g., the coach, business, first-class, etc.).

B. DETAILED PROCEDURES

  1. The traveler will complete and check boxes on the USNH Travel Pre-Approval/Advance Form as they begin to plan their trip. Forms are provided on the Travel & Expense Administration section of the USNH Finance Hub as the traveler estimates transportation, meals, lodging and incidental expenses, there are locations provided to summarize the costs. When complete, the traveler will have a more complete picture of the total costs associated with the trip. Once the form is complete, it should first be approved by the appropriate supervisor or designee. If the form is being used for pre-approval of foreign travel related to a federal grant, STAR, or campus research office until transition to STAR has been completed, approval is also required. After all necessary approvals have been received, the traveler can make any necessary travel arrangements.
  2. Please make a note in the Description/Comment field next to the appropriate estimated amount of any item paid on your PCard. Also use the same space to put the confirmation number and phone number for any air or rail fare. This will allow the Travel and Expense Assistant to know if they need to pay for your registration fees and facilitate their efforts to get your transportation requests confirmed and paid in a timely manner.

    If requesting a travel advance, complete the Advance section and check the advance box on the form. providing sufficient notice to ensure the FOC has at least 4 business days needed to issue the travel advance via general Disbursement check/ACH. If no advance is necessary, you can skip this section.

  3. A blank Travel Pre-Approval/Advance Form is a plain form suitable for immediate completion, or copied and distributed. Please print new copies often, as this form will be updated on-line only. No forms will be printed and distributed by central offices.

A blank Travel Pre-Approval/Advance Form in Excel format requires Excel 5.0 or later. You may access this file and complete it within the Excel program - printing when complete, or at the point when it will require signatures. Again, please access this original since it will be updated on-line only.

Detailed instructions on the Travel Pre-Approval/Advance Form can be found in the Travel & Expense Administration section of the the USNH Finance Hub.


The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version. 

07 - 119 Travel Reimbursement

A. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

The USNH Personal Reimbursement Form should be completed by the traveler within 45 days of completing the trip.

  • A blank USNH Personal Reimbursement Form in Excel format requires Excel 5.0 or greater. You may access this file and complete it within the Excel program - printing when complete, or at the point when signatures are required. Again, please access these forms as the originals since they will be updated on-line only.

Once complete, the USNH Personal Reimbursement Form must also be forwarded to the employee's supervisor or STAR or campus research office until transition to STAR has been completed.  Once approvals are secured, the completed form, along with required and supporting documentation should be submitted to the FOC.

Detailed instructions on the USNH Personal Reimbursement Form can be found in the Travel & Expense Administration section of the USNH Finance Hub.


The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version. 

07 - 121 Travel Forms

Travel Pre-Approval/Advance Form:

For detailed instructions on the Travel Authorization/Advance Form, see the Travel & Expense Administration section of the USNH Finance Hub.

Personal Reimbursement Forms for the reimbursement of travel and other business expenses:

For detailed instructions on the Personal Reimbursement Form, see the Travel & Expense Administration section of the USNH Finance Hub.

USNH Lost Document Receipt Form:

PCard Expense Form:

 

For specific questions on this policy or any of the related forms, please contact: 


The official version of this information will only be maintained in an on-line web format. Any and all printed copies of this material are dated as of the print date. Please make certain to review the material on-line prior to placing reliance on a dated printed version.